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How do you plan and conduct effective observation sessions for requirements elicitation?

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Observation sessions are a powerful technique for eliciting requirements from users, customers, and stakeholders. They allow you to see how they perform their tasks, what problems they encounter, and what needs they have. However, planning and conducting effective observation sessions requires careful preparation, execution, and analysis. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your observation sessions.

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Solaiman Afzal

Program Management and Business Transformation Expert

1 Define your goals

Before you start observing, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to learn from the observation sessions. What are the main questions you want to answer? What are the key aspects of the user's context, behavior, and needs that you want to capture? How will the observation data help you define the requirements for your solution? Defining your goals will help you focus your observation and avoid irrelevant or redundant information.

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Solaiman Afzal

Program Management and Business Transformation Expert
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Defining goals sounds easy but difficult. Because it forces people to think and decide what truly needs to happen to achieve business outcomes. Further, often change based on unpredictable variables. With that in mind, sometimes you should take the opposite approach. Which is identifying pain points. Those pain points can make identifying some short and long term goals easier.

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Sylvie D.

Software Requirements Engineering | Founder & CEO at Ovation Consult an AI Award-Winning Company
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To plan effective observation sessions for requirements elicitation, start by defining objectives and selecting relevant stakeholders to observe. Create a structured observation plan with specific focus areas. During the session, take detailed notes, ask clarifying questions, and encourage stakeholders to demonstrate tasks. Afterwards, analyze observations to identify patterns and insights. For instance, when designing a new employee onboarding system, observe HR staff as they guide new hires through the current process. Note pain points and areas for improvement, such as lengthy paperwork or confusing instructions, to inform the development of a more streamlined system.

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2 Select your participants

Next, you need to decide who you want to observe and how many participants you need. You should choose participants who represent your target user groups, have relevant experience and knowledge, and are willing to cooperate. You should also consider the diversity of your participants in terms of demographics, preferences, and expectations. Depending on the scope and complexity of your project, you may need to observe a few or dozens of participants to get a representative sample.

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Solaiman Afzal

Program Management and Business Transformation Expert
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For a workshop in-person, there should not bee no more than 10 participants. Otherwise, for passive participants who can provide input via survey and other tools, reach as many participants as possible.

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3 Plan your logistics

Once you have your goals and participants, you need to plan the logistics of your observation sessions. You need to decide when, where, and how long you will observe each participant. You also need to determine what tools and methods you will use to record and document your observations. For example, you may use cameras, audio recorders, notes, checklists, or diaries. You should also prepare a consent form and an introduction script to explain the purpose and process of the observation to the participants.

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4 Conduct your observation

During the observation sessions, you need to follow some best practices to ensure that you collect valid and reliable data. You should avoid interfering with the participant's normal workflow, unless you have a specific reason to do so. You should also avoid asking leading questions, making assumptions, or expressing opinions. Instead, you should ask open-ended questions, probe for details, and listen attentively. You should also record your observations as soon as possible, while they are fresh in your memory.

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5 Analyze your data

After the observation sessions, you need to analyze your data and extract the relevant insights for your requirements. You should review your recordings, notes, and other documents and look for patterns, themes, and gaps. You should also compare and contrast your data with other sources of information, such as surveys, interviews, or documents. You should then synthesize your findings into requirements statements, user stories, use cases, or other formats that suit your project.

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6 Validate your results

Finally, you need to validate your results and ensure that they reflect the true needs and expectations of your users and stakeholders. You should review your results with the participants and ask for their feedback and confirmation. You should also involve other members of your project team, such as developers, testers, or designers, and solicit their input and suggestions. You should then refine and prioritize your requirements according to the project scope and objectives.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you plan and conduct effective observation sessions for requirements elicitation?

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1 Define your goals

2 Select your participants

3 Plan your logistics

4 Conduct your observation

5 Analyze your data

6 Validate your results

7 Here’s what else to consider

Requirements Management

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